The LHC: broken, but officially inaugurated with rhymes

CERN released a technical report last week, detailing the causes of the most recent Large Hadron Collider delays but that didn't stop the 21 October start-up celebration - "LHC Fest" - from staying on schedule.

Following the unexpected success of the Large Hadron Rap - 3.6 million views and counting - I seem to have become something of a regular at CERN functions, alongside Les Horribles Cernettes - the subject of the first ever photograph on the web - and the Cannettes Blues Band. But sadly, most of my original backup crew has left CERN (including New Scientist's own Colin Barras), so we've had different personnel each time.
Probably the coolest aspect of the rap's international fame is the translations, including this Spanish version
- complete with rhymes - from Venezuela. CERN being the international
institution it is, at yesterday's show I persuaded a Colombian
contingent to come up on stage and rap the middle chorus en Español.

In keeping with our far-from-polished style, they were still struggling with the rhythms an hour before the performance (alice VE chocar de iones!). But I am proud of them, and I'll leave it to you to decide how they did - once Angela Brett gets her video on YouTube.

Safety officer Francois Butin, the stern face at 1:40 in the original video, hopped onstage in his reflective jacket and helmet with lamp on full-beam. He seems to have mellowed since originally being very suspicious of our little project.

But what most impressed the crowd last night was the presence of Lyn Evans onstage, Project Leader of the LHC, and the man who switched on the LHC on 10 September. He has been part of the LHC since it was just a twinkle in a physicists eye in 1981 and also one of the few CERN managers not afraid to turn an ATLAS hat sideways and bust a move.

During the hi-fives all around at the end of the performance, Lizzie Gibney, a dancer in the original video and on backing vocals last night, put it best with: "Give me some skin, Lyn!"

Bill Clinton’s most profitable years as president came up when he was forced to submit towards legislation of a GOP dominated congress. Obama will always be similarly forced to acquiesce, and Americans will once again benefit therefore.

I am 26 and i have been listening to rap music since the early 80's, but i am sorry ta say that i have been burnt out by all that me, me, me rap music, ya know the rap about my fat wallet or my sexy bitch or my fat gunz or whatever.